The present invention relates to a process for waterproofing semimanufactured footwear, clothing items and accessories, in particular during their manufacture. The present invention also relates to a machine that carries out said process, as well as the semimanufactured products obtained with said process or machine.
WO 00/22948 discloses a process for waterproofing leather and semimanufactured products made up of pieces of leather sewn to each other. This known process comprises a pressing onto the inner surface of the leather of at least one semipermeable membrane, whose surface contacting the leather is provided with a glue pattern. With this arrangement a suitable transpiration of the leather is achieved also in the zones where it is glued to the membrane.
WO 02/11571 discloses instead a process and a device for waterproofing semimanufactured products made of leather or fabric, also joined with other materials, which cannot be completely spread on a table since they have already taken during the manufacture a three-dimensional conformation with at least one inner surface and one outer surface. A typical example of said manufactured products is the uppers of footwear, considered in their final working step, before the application of an inner lining, if any. Other semimanufactured products of this kind can be boot uppers, gloves, hats and clothes in general in the final step of their manufacture. Said process comprises the inside out turning of the semimanufactured product and the introduction of a suitably shaped member before the pressing, so as to waterproof the semimanufactured product even if it has already taken a three-dimensional conformation. Said device includes instead a press provided with deformable plates made up of a hollow body having an elastic pressing surface urged outwards by hot air under pressure.
However, said known processes and device, so as they are disclosed in said patent applications, are not particularly suitable per se for an industrial application on a large scale, where a high automation degree is necessary for trying to reduce the manufacture times and costs.